Gawain

Gawain ( GA(H)-wayn, -⁠win, gə-WAYN), spelled in many ways, is one of the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian legendary cycle. The prototype of Gawain appears under the name Gwalchmei in the earliest Welsh sources. He has subsequently appeared in many Arthurian tales in Welsh, Latin, French, English, Scottish, Dutch, German, Spanish, and Italian, notably as the protagonist of the Middle English poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Other works featuring Gawain as their central character include De Ortu Waluuanii, Diu Crône, Ywain and Gawain, Golagros and Gawane, Sir Gawain and the Carle of Carlisle, L'âtre périlleux, La Mule sans frein, La Vengeance Raguidel, Le Chevalier à l'épée, Le Livre d'Artus, The Awntyrs off Arthure, The Greene Knight, and The Weddynge of Syr Gawen and Dame Ragnell.

In the Arthurian chivalric romances, Gawain is typically depicted as King Arthur's closest companion and an integral member of the Round Table. He is often the son of Arthur's sister, Morgause, and King Lot of Orkney and Lothian. Here, his younger brothers (or half-brothers) are Agravain, Gaheris, Gareth, and the infamous Mordred, though his familial relations and upbringing vary. They often involve a story of Gawain unknowingly being raised in foster care in Rome before returning to Britain to reunite with his biological relatives. Of his many children from his numerous wives and lovers, Gingalain (the "Fair Unknown") stands out as a popular Arthurian hero in his own right.

In the early Welsh texts, Gawain is portrayed as a formidable warrior who is courteous, compassionate, and fiercely loyal to both king and kin. He is known as a friend to young knights, a defender of the poor and unfortunate, and a rescuer of women. Variants on the Castle of Maidens often portray him as a "Maidens' Knight". Other notable recurring motifs include his skills in healing, his weapons (including the famed Caliburn, also known as Excalibur), and his mighty warhorse Gringolet. In some later versions, such as Le Morte d'Arthur, his strength is tied to a day-and-night cycle, making him an invincible swordsman when at noon.

Gawain's prowess diminishes with the Vulgate Cycle, which elevates Lancelot. His character turns markedly ignoble in the Post-Vulgate Cycle and even outright villainous in the Prose Tristan. Le Morte d'Arthur further conflicts his character by presenting him as a symbol of secular knighthood, a departure from his original piety and a major object of criticism from the authors of French prose cycles. Two important plotlines shed light on this redefined Gawain: his leading role in a familial blood feud against the clan of King Pellinore, and the deterioration of his close friendship with Sir Lancelot, which becomes a bitter rivalry when Gawain is consumed by vengeance. In this tradition, Gawain's sinful ways and unforgiving nature inadvertently lead to the fall of Arthur and the Round Table and, ultimately, his own death by Lancelot's hand.